Gravel packed screen



' Sept. 22, 1959 w. L. CHURCH 2,905,251

GRAVEL PACKED SCREEN Filed Nov. 14, 1955 Wa/zer Z. (flu e/7 INVENTOR.

GRAVEL PACKED SCREEN Walter L. Church, Houston, Tex.

Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,535

1 Claim. (Cl. 166-228) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a gravel packed screen.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gravel packed screen for use in oil field production that wiil employ only a single string of tubing rather than two concentric strings as is now customary in screens for this purpose.

It is another object of the invention to provide a screen for use in oil field production that may be quickly and easily removed from the well bore.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a gravel packed screen for use in oil field production that will be of light construction, placing a minimum of Weight on the producing liner, readily and easily cut for removal of the liner, and that will leave a minimum of metal in the well bore when removed.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction more particularly defined in the following specifications and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the device, partly in cross section, and

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2P4 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a tubular section of the same diameter as the string of pipe forming the production liner to be inserted in the casing of an oil well. This section may be coupled into the string as is any other section of pipe in the string. Elongated slits, as 2, are cut in the wall of the section 1 in spaced, longitudinal rows, and in circumferential alignment, providing perforations therethrough. Pockets are formed over these rows of slits by forming a channel of rigid material as 3 over each row. The channels 3 extend outwardly and are welded, or otherwise anchored to the section 1. One end of the respective channels is left open until the screen is ready to be assembled, at which time the pockets formed by the channels are filled with gravel and flushed with water, under pressure, to pack the gravel tightly in the channels.

2,905,25l Patented Sept. 22, 1959 When so filled and packed, the opposite end of each pocket is closed and welded. Elongated slits 4 are cut in the outside wall of the channels 3 in staggered relation with reference to the slits 2 in the section 1.

The section 1 is connected into the liner string at the desired location, usually with an inlet valve (not shown) below and a packer (not shown) above, and the screen lowered into and set at the desired position adjacent the producing sand. This is usually accomplished by cementing the sections below the screen, in which lower sections a suitable shoe and inlet valve are mounted. The liner is then packed off above the screen, and fluid from the producing formation admitted through the valve beneath the screen. The flow of production will be through the slits 4, gravel 5 and slits 2, into the liner string.

When it is desired to remove the liner string, the elongated slits in the section 1, and in the channels 3, will make the cutting of the section 1 a very easy task; the cutting tool employed may merely complete the slit circumferentially at the desired point in the screen, or, as will usually be done, the string will be rotated, twisting the anchored screen until it breaks, the section 1 being easily parted in this manner due to the partial circumferential cuts forming the slits 2, and the channels being lightly welded in place, will readily become dislodged, freeing the liner.

While the foregoing is considered a preferred form of the invention, it is by way of illustration only, the broad principle of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

In a well screen, a string of tubing, a tubular section of rigid material of the same diameter as the string secured to the lower end of said string, rectangular outwardly extending pockets of light, rigid material radially spaced and longitudinally mounted on said section, the end walls of said pockets being inwardly tapered and the side walls of said pockets abutting against and being lightly welded to the outer wall of said section, elongated slits in the outer wall of said pockets and in said section adjacent and covered by said pockets and gravel tightly packed in said pockets, the resistance to shear at the tubular section is less than in said tubing string, whereby said tubing string may be severed from said tubular section upon applying a torsional rupturing force to said tubular section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,534,960 Jones Apr. 21, 1925 1,588,920 Trahan et a1. June 15, 1926 1,602,449 Poe Oct. 12, 1926 2,391,60Q Wright Dec. 25, 1945 

